Carton expanding and conveyer loading mechanism



Aug. 25, 1959 H. E. ENGLESON ET AL ,9

CARTON EXPANDING AND CONVEYER LOADING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 30, 1956 4Sheets-Sheet 1 mmvzroks: HARRY E, ENGLESON 25 ELMER D. SRAMEK 3 BY 4Aug. 25, 1959 H. E. ENGLESON ET AL 2,900,880

CARTON EXPANDING AND CONVEYER LOADING MECHANISM Filed Aug. so, 1956 4Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.4

INVENTORSI HARRY E. ENGLESON ELMER D, SRAMEK ATT'YS Aug. 25, 1959 H. E.ENGLESON ETAL 2,900,330

CARTON EXPANDING AND CONVEYER LOADING MECHANISM Filed Aug. so, 1956 4Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS: HARRY E. ENGLESON ELMER D. SRAMEK BY WMame/fa:

ATT'YS Aug. 25, 1959 H. E. ENGLESON ETAL 2,900,880

CARTON EXPANDING AND CONVEYER LOADING MECHANISM HARRY E. ENGLESON ELMERD, SRAMEK United States Patent G 1 2,900,880 CARTON EXPANDING ANDCONVEYER LOADING MECHANISM Harry E. Engleson, Chicago, and Elmer D.Sramek,

Cicero, Ill., assignors to F. B. Redington (10., Bellwood Village, 11].,a corporation of Delaware Application August 30,1956, Serial No. 607,132

9 Claims. (Cl. 93-53) This invention relates to article packagingmachinery for packaging articles in cartons made of cardboard, or thelike. More particularly the invention relates to apparatus for expandingthe cartons and placing them in successive buckets or pockets of amoving conveyer.

Each carton for packaging articles comprises a front panel, a rearpanel, a pair of side panels, and two sets of end closure flaps, one setof flaps being at each end of the carton, whereby a rectilinearenclosure is provided for the packaged articles. The cartons are incollapsed or folded flat position and stacked one upon the other, and apackaging machine is usually equipped with carton expanding apparatuswhich includes a magazine for holding the stacked cartons. The lowermostcarton at the bottom of the stack is expanded by engagement with amember having suction cups, the carton being pulled downwardly by themember from the bottom of the magazine. Stationary guides between whichthe cartonmust pass, converge andimpinge upon the opposite edges of thecollapsed flattened carton and gradually forces the carton to expand. Toprevent the carton from doubling or folding longitudinally rather thanexpanding, a long thin member or finger is positioned to engage a longtuck flap at one end of the carton and to thence slide'into the carton.The finger exerts a restraining force upwardly against the upper panelof the carton while the lower panel is being drawn downwardly by thesuction cups, and thus the upper and lower panels are caused toseparate. Because of the desirability of inserting the finger into thecarton at the beginning of the expanding operation, the cartons arestacked in the magazine with the flap side in up position i.e., eachcarton being placed in the magazine such that the tuck flaps at one endextend from the upper panel thereof.

Heretofore, cartons were expanded from a flat position in the magazineand were then moved laterally and placed in a conveyer bucket with thetuck flap extending from the top panel of, the expanded carton as it waspositioned in the magazine. After the carton had been filled witharticles, the flap would be folded downwardly over the end and thencetucked in at the bottom of the carton. This mode of packaging has provedsatisfactorily, for packaging many articles, particularly those whichhave resilient or rounded edges such that no substantial restraint isoffered to the tuck flap when it is tucked or inserted into the cartonin a final closure operation. However, in packaging certain articleswhich are hard and have sharp edges, it has been found that such tuckingoperation is not accomplished smoothly since the tuck flap is prone toengage and be held by the sharp edges of the articles within the carton,the tuck flap in such cases being likely to buckle and become damagedwith the result that the carton may not properly be closed.

This invention consists generally in a new and improved carton expandingapparatus wherein the cartons are passed downwardly and rotatedsubstantially ninety degrees from the horizontal, and thence insertedinto a conveyer bucket which is moving upwardly and around an endsprocket or other conveyer end support means. The bucket then moves withthe conveyer around the end sprocket support and assumes a horizontalposition;

ice

the carton is thereupon rotated an additional ninety degrees while inthe bucket and its ultimate position on the conveyer is inverted fromits position in the magazine.

It is an object of this invention to provide new and improved cartonexpanding and inserting apparatus, wherein the cartons are removed froma horizontal position in the magazine and are placed on a conveyer in ahorizontal position inverted from the positioning in the magazine;thereby the cartons may be positioned flap side up in the magazine tofacilitate expansion by insertion of the finger, and may be positionedfiap side' down in the conveyer to facilitate closure of the fiaps.

A further object is to provide an improved apparatus for transferringsuccessive cartons from a magazine to buckets of a conveyer; the cartonsbeing removed from the magazine by a first pivotal member having suctioncups for engagement with a panel of the carton; the carton being passed,or relayed, by further pivotal members, from the first pivotal member tothe conveyer bucket which moves upwardly by the conveyer around an endsprocket support of the conveyer.

A more complete understanding of the present invention, its mode ofoperation and its advantages, may be gathered from further reading ofthis specification, to-

gether with an inspection of the accompanying drawings.

in which:

Fig. 1 is a detail perspective view of a part of a packaging machine ofthe invention, the view partioularlyillustrating the transfer membersfor passing cartons from the magazine to the conveyer buckets;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a single carton as it would bepositioned on the conveyer prior to filling;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view upwardly looking along the line 3-3 of Fig.l and showing the cartons as they are stacked in the magazine and thefinger member for insertion into eachcarton to facilitate the expandingthereof;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a carton as it would be positioned onthe conveyer after having been filled with articles and during theclosure. operation wherein the flaps are being tucked into the carton;

Fig. 5 is a simplified diagram showing progressively the expanding andtransfer of cartons from the positioning of the magazine to apositioning on the conveyer;

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view showing the magazine, aportion of the conveyer, and the transfer members illustrated generallyin Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view similar in part to Fig. 6 butillustrating the transfer arms at a time subsequent and in differentpositioning from that shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figs. 6 and 7 but atanother time subsequent, and with different positioning of the transferarms;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view along the line 99 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of a single article bucket of thearticle carrying conveyer of the machine;

Fig. 11 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line 11--11 of Fig.6;

Fig. 12 is a vertically inclined sectional view on the I line 1212 ofFig. 8; and

2 of the conveyernl into. the cardboard cartons 4 on the conveyer 3. Thecartons 4 are initially stacked in a magazine 5, Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 and8, and will be removed therefrom by a first-transfer member 6 having apair-of suction cups 7 thereon. Thesuctionfcups. 7 constituterameans:for gripping the bottom carton stacked inthemagazine 5.' The firsttransfer member6 is mounted to pivot about a point 8 and thereby totransport a carton 4 in, an arc downwardly. A second transfer member 9will receive the carton/4 from the first transfer member 6 and willpivot about an axis 11? thereby transporting the carton 4 downwardlyalong a second arc. A third transfer member 11 mounted to pivot about .a

point 12 willreceive the carton4 from the second trans-.

fer member 9 and will move the carton into a bucket .or pocket 13 on theconveyer 3. The conveyer 3 consists of a chain 14 which is supported bya sprocket 15 on a shaft 16, Fig. 5. The sprocket 15 rotates in aclockwise direction, as illustrated in Figs. 1 andS, and therefore thebuckets 13 move from the left, upwardly around the sprocket 15, andthence to the right over the upper reach of the chain 14, Fig. 5.- Astationary arcuate band 17, Fig. 5, extends over the buckets at aportion of the conveyer 3 tosecure the cartons 4 therein. Subsequentlyto the arcuate band 17, the cartons 4 are held'within the buckets 13 bya rail 18 resiliently urged against the cartons 4 by a plurality ofsprings 19 and supported by a rigid bracket 20.

The movementof cartons 4 from the magazine to the conveyer 3 may be bestunderstood with reference to Fig. 5. Each carton 4 is removed from thebottom of the stack of cartons in the magazine and transporteddownwardly through an arc illustrated by an arrow 6' by the firsttransfer member 6, shown in Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 7. The carton. 4 is thencemoved through a second are 9' by the second transfer member 9. Thecarton 4 then moves through a third arc indicated by the arrow 11' bythe third transfer member 11. Movement of the carton 4 along theconveyer 3 is indicated by the arrows 3, Fig. 5. It, will be noted byprogressively following the movements of the cartons'4 in Fig. 5 thateach carton is rotated from a horizontal position in the magazine 5 to asubstantially vertical position whereupon the third transfer member 11inserts the carton in the conveyer 3, and thence the carton continues tobe rotated until it assumes an inverted position on the conveyer 3.

The cartons on the conveyer 3 move to the right and in spaced relationto the buckets 2 on the conveyer 1, as illustrated in Fig. 9. A pushermember 21-engages and moves the successive cartons 4 somewhattransversely of the conveyer 3 to place the carton 4 closely adjacent tothe article containing buckets 2 to permit the articles to be loadedinto the cartons 4 from the buckets 2 as both conveyers l and 3 movesynchronously. Fig. 11 illustrates the relative positioning of thearticle carrying buckets 2 and the carton 4 positioned to receivearticles therefrom. The article carrying bucket 2 rests upon and slidesalong a pair of rails 22 and is moved by a chain 23, Fig. 11. Thebuckets 13 of the conveyer 3 likewise rest upon and slide along a pairof rails 24 and are similarly moved by the chain 14. Each of the cartons4 has a pair of side flaps 25 and a tuck flap 26 at each end thereon. Atthe end to be loaded, the flap 26 is depressed beneath a part of thearticle bucket 2, and at the other end the flap 26 is depressed beneatha rail 27. Thus, both of the tuck flaps 26 of the carton 4 are depressedand held clear during the loading operation wherein the articles aretransferred from the buckets 2 to the cartons 4. After the articles havebeen transferred from the buckets 2 to the cartons 4, the side flaps 25are folded inwardly and the tuck flaps 26 of, each carton are foldedupwardly to be inserted into the carton, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

The operation ofremoving and expanding the cartons 4 from the magazine 5is initiated as the first trans member 6 is pivoted upwardly such thatthe suction cups 7 engage the bottom carton of the stack, Fig. 6, and atsuch time, a vacuum is applied to the suction cups via a flexible hose28 and a tubular duct 29 passing through the transfer member 6. to :thesuction cups 7. With vacuum applied, the suction. cups 7 grip the lowerlying panel 30 of the;.carton 4, as indicated by dashed circles 7, Fig.3. Simultaneously, a thin member or finger 31 engages the tuck flap 26extending from the upper panel of the carton 4 and moves inwardly suchthat the finger is inserted into the carton as the expanding operationis commenced. The. transfer arm 6 and suction cups 7 pull the bottompanel 30 downwardly, while the finger 31 exerts a restraining forcetending to hold the upper panel 32 upwardly thereby separating the upperpanel from the lower panel. The finger 31 is mounted to be resilientsuch that it is capable of moving downwardly with the carton 4 whileoffering an upwardv force thereagainst.- After thecarton has descended apredetermined distance from the stack'of cartons 4 and has begun toexpand or open, the finger 31 is withdrawn permitting the carton 4 todescend further without interference therewith. As the carton 4 ispulled downwardly from the-magazine 5, an inclined guide rail 33 fixedin a stationary position cooperates with a 'pair of upstanding'lugs 34,Fig. 1, whereby the extreme edges or corners of the carton 4 areimpinged and forced to assume a lesser dimension thereby causingexpansion of the carton 4.

The second transfer member 9 pivots to a position for receiving thecarton 4 from the first transfer memben as shown in Fig. 7. The secondtransfer member 9 includes a pair ofspaced apart head elements 36between which the first transfer member 6,'with the lugs 34 and suctioncups 7, may descend. Fig. 7 shows the positioning of the parts at thetime of transfer when-thesecond transfer.

member 9 receives the carton 4 from the first transfer member 6. Thefirsttransfer member 6 with. the suction cups 7 thereon pivots betweenspaced apart jaws 36 of the second transfer member 9, and the'carton4will be secured near each end. by anupstanding guide part 37 and asecond upstanding guide part 38 having a protuberance 39 spaced to hookover one corner edge of the carton The carton 4 is thereby held betweenthe upward extending stud parts 37 and 38 of the spaced apart jaws 36.The transfer arm- 9 is pi-votally mounted at a point 10 and has arearward extension 41) which is pivotally connected to a link 41 andthus is drivirigly coupled to a rotatable crank 42. As the crank 42rotates on a shaft 43,.the connecting rod or link 41 causes the transferarm 9 to reciprocate or rock. about the pivot point 10, Figs. 1, 6, 7and.8.

' The third transfer member 11 is. mounted to. pivot about the point. 12and has fixed thereto a drive extension arm 44 containing a slideway 45.Another crank 46 rotatable on a shaft-47 includes a crank pin 48slidably positionedin theslideway. 45'such thatrotation of the crank. 46will cause. a pivotal or rocking motionof the second transfer arm 11about the point. 12.. The third transfer .arm 11 also contains a pair ofspacedapart jaws 49. The jaws 49 are spaced apart at a distance greaterthan the spacement betweenthe jaws. 36 such that the jaws 36 of thetransfer arm 9-may move between the jaws 49 ofv the transfer. arm- 11,Fig. 12. Fig. 8. illustrates the positioning of the transfer parts atthemoment when a carton 4. is being received in the jaws- 49 of the thirdtransfer arm 11 from the jaws 36 of the second transfer arm ,9. It will.be appreciated that the jaws 49 consist of a straight extended part 50of the arm 11 and a transverselycxtending jaw part 51 having an upwardlyextending protuberance 52 forming a hook to secure the corner edge ofthe carton-4. As shown. in Fig. 8, the guide part 38 moves downwardlybelow the positionof the jaw part 51 and, therefore, the carton 4 isimpinged betweenthe guide part 37 of the-second transfer arm 9 and thejaw part 51 of the third transfer arm 11 and thereby the carton isfurther expanded at the time when the carton is received by the transferarm 11.

The transfer arm 9 with the guide part 37 thereon forms a guide surfacefor the upper edge corner of the carton 4 as the third transfer arm 11begins to pivot forwardly toward the conveyer bucket 13. A stationaryguide member 53 is positioned to form an extension of the guide part 37,when the second transfer arm 9 moves to an extreme downward positionand, at such time, the third transfer arm 11 moves the carton 4 acrossthe guide part 37, thence across the guide part 53, Fig. 1. The thirdtransfer arm 11 continues to move the carton 4 whereupon the canton isseated in a bucket 13 of the conveyer 3 moving upwardly and beingsecured therein by the arcuate band 17, as is shown in Fig. 6. Anarcuate skirt member 54 is positioned to engage and guide a side flap 25of the cartons 4, should such flaps tend to fold backwards during thecarton transferring operations.

A principal feature of the carton expanding apparatus of this inventionnot found in the carton expanders heretofore used is the inversion ofthe carton as it is removed from the magazine 5 and positioned in thebuckets 13 of the conveyer 3. As is shown in Fig. 3, the cartons 4 mustbe placed in the magazine 5 such that the tuck fiap 26 extends from thetop panel thereof in order that the finger member 31 will properlyintercept the tuck flap 26 and may be inserted into the carton 4 whenthe carton is drawn downwardly from the magazine 5. As illustrated inFig. 4, the carton 4 must be placed in the conveyer 3 with the tuckflap. 26 extending from the lower panel thereof such that the tuck flaps26 may be folded upwardly and tucked into the carton 4 in a space abovethe articles contained therein. In the flap closure operation, anauxiliary blade (not shown) may be inserted and withdrawn to createsumcient space for the subsequent insertion of the cardboard tuck flap26. With the carton 4, as positioned in Fig. 4, the weight of thearticles exerted downwardly away from the space created by the bladewill tend to preserve that space permitting the proper insertion of thetuck flap 26. Therefore, it may be appreciated that the cartons may bestbe expanded from a position with the tuck flap up in the magazine 5, andmay be best filled and closed in a position with the tuck flap down inthe conveyer 3. By use of the carton expanding mechanism as taught bythis invention, the proper positioning of the cartons 4 may bemaintained in both the magazine 5 and in the conveyer 3 since the cartonexpanding and transferring mechanism of this invention causes thecartonsto he inverted.

A further feature of this invention resides in the fact that the cartonexpanding and inserting apparatus is relatively simple, both in itsstructure and in its mode of operation. Because of its simplicity, theoperation of the carton expanding and inserting apparatus of thisinvention will be relatively trouble-free and inexpensive to operate.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of theparts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificingany of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all suchchanges as fall fairly within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. In a packaging machine having a conveyer movable about a rotatableend support means, apparatus for expanding and inserting cartons intobuckets carried by the conveyer, said apparatus comprising a magazinefor containing a stack of flat cartons, a first transfer memberpivotally mounted in spaced relation with the magazine and operable toengage and pull a single carton downwardly from the magazine to a firstposition, a second transfer member mounted to pivot in spaced relationwith the first transfer member and operable to receive the carton fromthe first transfer member at the first position and convey it to asecond position, and a third 6 transfer member mounted to pivot inspaced relation with the second transfer member and with the rotatableend support means of the iconveyer, the third transfer member being"operable to receive the carton from the second transfer member at saidsecond position and to insert the carton into a conveyer bucket as thebucket is moving around the rotatable end support means. I i

2. In'a packaging machine having a conveyer movable abouta rotatable endsupport means, apparatus for expanding and inserting cartons into theconveyer, said apparatus comprising a magazine for holding a stackoffcartonswherein each of the cartons are folded flat and are stackedhorizontally with a flap extending from an upper panel thereof, a firsttransfer member movably positioned to move into engagement with. thecarton at the bottom of the stack, said first transfer member havingmeans thereon for holding and pulling the lower panel of the cartondownwardly, a finger member movably mounted to engage the flap and toinsert into the carton, said first transfer member and said fingercooperating to initially expand the carton as the first transfer membermoves downwardly, a second transfer member, movably positioned to moveinto spaced relation with and to receive the carton from the firsttransfer member, and a third transfer member movably positioned to moveinto spaced relation with and to receive the carton from the secondtransfer member, said third transfer member being furtherpositioned tomove into spaced relation with the rotatable end support means fortransferring cartons tothe conveyer, said transfer members beingoperable to rotate the carton from the horizontal positioning of thestacked cartons inthe magazine, said conveyer being operable to furtherrotate the carton to a position inverted from the positioning in themagazine.

3. In a packaging machine having a conveyer movable around a sprocketsupporting one end thereof, apparatus for expanding and insertingcartons into buckets carried by the conveyer, said apparatus comprisinga magazine for containing a stack of cartons, each carton to beflattened and positioned in the magazine horizontally with a tuck flapextending from an upper panel thereof, a first transfer member mountedto pivot into engagement with the bottom carton of the stack in themagazine, said transfer member having means thereon for gripping andpulling the carton downwardly from the the magazine, a means operativelyassociated with the magazine and with the first trans-fer member forpartially expanding the carton as the carton is pulled downwardly fromthe magazine, a second transfer member mounted to pivot into spacedrelationship with the first transfer member for receiving the cartontherefrom, and a third transfer member mounted to pivot into spacedrelation with the second transfer member and with the sprocket of theconveyer, said third transfer member being operable to receive thecarton from the second transfer member and to pass the carton into abucket of theconveyer as said bucket moves upwardly around the sprocket,the transfer members being further operable to rotate the carton fromthe horizontal positioning in the magazine to a substantially verticalpositioning, the conveyer being operable to further rotate the carton toan inverted horizontal positioning wherein the tuck flap extends from abottom panel thereof. i

4. In a packaging machine having a conveyer movable around a sprocketsupporting one end thereof, apparatus for expanding and insertingcartons into buckets carried by the conveyer, said apparatus comprisinga magazine for containing a stack of cartons each of which beingpositioned horizontally with a tuck flap extending from a top panelthereof, a first transfer arm mounted to pivot into engagement with thebottom carton of the stack, said transfer. arm having at least onesuction cup thereon for gripping the carton, a guide rail positionedbelow the magazine and in spaced relation with the first transfer armfor impinging upon a corner of the carton and for thereby expanding thecarton as the transfer arm pulls the carton downwardly, a secondtransfer arm mounted to pivot in spaced relation with the first transferarm, said'second transferarm' having a pair of'spaced apart jaws.attached thereon for receiving a carton from the first transfer arm, anda third transfer arm mounted to pivot in spaced relation with the secondtransfer arm and with the sprocket of the conveyer, said third transferarm having a pair of spaced apart jawsattached thereto for receiving thecarton from the second transfer arm and for carrying and seating thecarton in a bucket moving upwardly around the sprocket of the conveyer,the jaws of the second transfer arm cooperating with the jaws of thethird transfer arm tofurther impinge upon and expand the carton as thecarton is being received by the third transfer arm.

5. In a packaging machine having a conveyer movable around a sprocketsupporting one end thereof, apparatus for expanding and insertingcartons into buckets carried by the conveyer, said apparatus comprisinga magazine for containing a stack of cartons each of which beingpositioned horizontally with a tuck nap extending from the top panel ofeach carton, a first transfer arm mounted to pivot in spaced relationwith the magazine and with the cartons therein, said first transfer armhaving a pair of suction cups for engaging and gripping the bottomcarton of the stack, a finger member positioned to engage the tuck flapof the bottom carton and mounted to slide into the carton to exert anupward restraining force against the top panel thereof, a guide railextending downwardly from the magazine in spaced relation with the firsttransfer arm for impinging upon and expanding the canton as the cartonis pulled downwardly from the magazine by the suction cups, a secondtransferarm mounted to pivot in spaced relation with the first transferarm, said second transfer arm having apair of spaced apart jaws attachedthereon for receiving a carton from the first transfer arm, and a thirdtransfer armmounted to pivot in spaced relation with the second transferarm and with the sprocket of the conveyer, said third transfer armhaving a pair of spaced apart jaws attached thereto for receiving thecarton from the second transfer arm and for carrying and seating thecarton in abucket moving upwardly around the sprocket of the conveyer,the jaws of the second transfer arm cooperating with the jaws of thethird transfer arm to further impinge upon and expand the carton as thecarton is being received by the third transfer arm.

6. In a packaging machine having a conveyer movable around a sprocketsupporting one end thereof, apparatus for expanding and insertingcartons into buckets carried by the conveyer, said apparatus comprisinga magazine for containing a stack of cartons, a first transfer armmounted to pivot in spaced relation with the magazine, said firsttransfer arm having a suction cup thereon for engaging and gripping thebottom carton of the stack, a first stationary guide rail extendingdownwardly from the magazine in spaced relation with the first transferarm for impinging upon and expanding the carton as the carton istransported downwardly from the magazine, a second transfer arm mountedin spaced relation with the first transfer arm, said second transfer armhaving a pair of spaced apart jaws attached thereon for receiving acarton from the first transfer arm, each of said jaws having a guidepart extending therefrom and integral therewith, a third transfer armmounted to pivot in spaced relation with the second transfer arm andwith the sprocket of the conveyer, said third transfer arm having a pairof spaced apart jaws attached thereto for receiving a carton from thesecond transfer arm and for carrying and seating the carton in a bucketmoving up wardly around the sprocket of the conveyer, said guide partsof the jaws on the second transfer arm cooperating with the jaws of thethird transfer arm to further impinge upon and expand the carton as thecartonis received in the third transferarm, and a second stationaryguide member positioned in spaced relation with the third transfer arm,said guide ,parts on the jaws of the second transfer arm being furtheroperable to move into spaced relation with the second'stationary guidemember to retain the carton inthe'third transfer arm as the thirdtransfer arm pivots in spaced relationwith the guide parts and with thesecond stationary guide member.

7. In a carton expanding and transferring mechanism for a packagingmachine, apparatus comprising a first movable transfer arm and a secondmovable transfer arm, each of said transfer arms having a pair of spacedapart jaws for holding a carton, the jawsof one transfer arm beingspaced to move between the jaws of the other transfer arm whereby thecarton may be passed from the first transfer arm and received by thesecond transfer arm, the jaws of the first transfer arm cooperating withthe jaws of the secondtransfer arm to expand the carton when the cartonis passed from the first transfer arm to the second transfer arm.

8. In a carton expanding and transferring mechanism for a packagingmachine, apparatus comprising a first pivotal transfer arm and a secondpivotal transfer arm, said first transfer arm having a pair of spacedapart jaws for holding a partially expanded carton, each of the jaws ofthe first transfer arm having at least one upstanding guide part, saidsecond transfer arm having a pair of spaced apart jaws with a guideextension part thereon, the jaws of one of the transfer arms beingadapted to pass between the jaws of the other transfer arm whereby thecarton will be received from the first transfer arm by the secondtransfer arm, said upstanding guide parts of the jaws of the firsttransfer arm and said guide extension parts of the jaws of the secondtransfer arm moving into close space relation as the transfer arms pivotwhereby the carton is impinged from opposite edges thereof to cause thecarton to be expanded as the carton is received by the jaws of thesecond transfer arm.

9. In a carton expanding and transferring mechanism for a packagingmachine having a conveyer movable around a sprocket supporting one endthereof, apparatus comprising a first pivotal transfer arm fortransporting a carton, a second pivotal transfer arm mounted in spacedrelation with the first pivotal transfer arm and in spaced relation withthe sprocket, and a stationary guide member positioned in spacedrelation with the second transfer arm and with the sprocket, said firsttransfer arm having a pair of spaced apart jaws for holding a carton,each of the jaws of the first transfer arm having at least oneupstanding guide part, said second transfer arm having a pair of spacedapart jaws thereon for receiving the carton from the first transfer arm,the jaws of the first transfer arm being adapted to pass between thejaws of the second transfer arm whereby the carton will be passed fromthe first transfer arm to the second transfer arm, the upstanding guideparts of the jaws on the first transfer arm cooperating with the jaws ofthe second transfer arm to impinge upon and cause expansion of thecarton when the carton is passed from the first transfer arm to thesecond transfer arm, said upstanding rguide parts being further operableto move into close spaced relation with the stationary guide member toform a continuous guide path for the carton as the second transfer armmoves the carton from the jaws of the first transfer arm, past thestationary guide member and into the conveyer moving upwardly around thesprocket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,991,223 Ledig Feb. 12, 1935 2,573,324 Ferguson Oct. 30, 1951 2,601,481Williams June 24, 1952 2,762,274 Kerr Sept. 11, 1956

